CALGARY -- Season pass sales have been suspended at Winsport due to surging demand.
The suspension will be in place at least until the hill opens — currently scheduled for Nov. 27 — says Dale Oviatt, WinSport's director of communications, then officials will re-assess.
A waitlist will also be created.
"We've seen a huge demand for our passes which is obviously a great thing for Calgarians and really shows they want to get outside and stay active," he said.
Season pass sales are about 25 per cent higher than they were at this time last year.
"We can say too, our family passes have doubled from last year," said Oviatt.
The surge in sales, said Oviatt, is a result of the pandemic and people wanting to find outdoor activities.
"When this pandemic first started in the spring everybody was all about, let's get outside and ride our bikes, and to us this is the winter of, let's get outside and ride snowboards and ski," he said.
Officials want to wait until the season starts to see how social distancing measures work before allowing more pass sales.
"That's one of the key reasons why we had to stop sales right now, it's not so much on the hill per se, but auxiliary things like the day lodge and the indoor areas, we're trying to do what we can to keep people outside."
The day lodge will be open and lessons will be offered, however there will be some changes. Group pre-school lessons won't be offered and instructors will maintain physical distance.
The Nov. 27 opening date could also be moved up if snow conditions allow, said Oviatt.
